Ryan Lindgren out ‘few weeks’ in latest Rangers injury woe: report
Ryan Lindgren is expected to be out a “few weeks” after sustaining a lower-body injury for the New York Rangers, according to several reports. The defenseman is expected to make a full recovery.
The injury, which Lindgren sustained in a 5-2 win against the New York Islanders on Sunday, is not as serious as first thought. Lindgren went down in a heap clutching his left leg after a battle behind the Rangers net, was helped from the ice and didn’t return.
“It sucks. Especially a warrior like that, who’s played through so many injuries, to see him stay down like that, it’s usually where he stays down for a second and pops right back up,” center Jonny Brodzinski said postgame. “It’s tough to see him go down.”
The 26-year-old had an assist on Will Cuylle’s goal earlier in the Islanders game. He has 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) in 66 games this season. He’s fifth on the Rangers with 88 blocked shots and seventh with 100 hits.
Lindgren is Adam Fox’s long-time defense partner and is averaging 19:13 in ice time this season. Though he’s played 63 games or fewer in three of his five NHL seasons, Lindgren had missed only two games this season.
That will change now. The Rangers are just hoping he’ll make it back in time for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which begin in four weeks.
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Ryan Lindgren to miss ‘few weeks’ for Rangers with lower-body injury
The Rangers are also without captain Jacob Trouba on the blue line. He’s missed six games and is expected to be out another week or two. In his absence, Zac Jones has played each game and Braden Schneider moved up to pair with K’Andre Miller.
Chad Ruhwedel is expected to slot into the lineup now that Lindgren is out. Ruhwedel was acquired before the trade deadline and has yet to make his Rangers debut. The 33-year-old helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2017.
There’s a chance that Miller, who has five points (one goal, four assists) in his past two games could move up to pair with Fox. But the Rangers could also keep Miller and Schneider together, and elevate Erik Gustafsson to play on the left side of a paring with Fox.
Brandon Scanlin was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Monday to be New York’s extra defenseman. The 24-year-old leads Hartford defensemen with eight goals but has never played an NHL game.
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